Based on the comic book series from DC/Vertigo, The Losers is a mediocre entry in the cartoon violence action genre. There are some cool action sequences, a decent but familiar revenge themed plot and a couple of good laughs along the way but there are also some big plot holes, overly kinetic direction from Sylvian White and one terrible performance. The first twenty minutes are fairly painful but overall the film improves over its running time. In the first few scenes it’s as if the actors have no chemistry together and haven’t yet figured out how to play off one another. This does improve over the life of The Losers which is why the movie merits a 5 and not a 4.

The film is about a group of black ops soldiers known as the Losers (for some reason that is never explained) who are betrayed during what should have been a routine mission. It turns out the mission is actually being run by a shadowy sociopath known only as Max (Jason Patric) and when the good guy group of soldiers break protocol to save twenty-five innocent children, Max attempts to wipe them out. After barely escaping with their lives and thought to be dead to the rest of the world, the Losers take refuge in Bolivia while planning how to get their lives back. It is there that Colonel Clay (Jeffrey Dean Morgan); the leader of the group crosses paths with the seriously hot Aisha (Zoe Saldana), a sexy ass kicker who makes him an offer he can’t refuse. She will sneak them back into the good old US of A and supply them with what they need to get revenge on the evil Max, the only catch… it’s more than likely a suicide mission. The Losers agree to take the mission although some members of the group are more hesitant than others. What follows is a couple of competent shoot outs and action sequences mixed in with some fairly obvious plot twists and double crosses.

The acting for the most part is solid with one major exception, but I’ll get to that in a moment. Jeffrey Dean Morgan proves he is an able leading man but his performance here is merely good. He displayed way more charisma and acting gravitas in Watchmen and also in his brief stint on the CW’s Supernatural as father to the Winchester boys. Zoe Saldana as lethal beauty Aisha is quite good delivering a sexy, dangerous performance but she was better in Avatar and last year’s Star Trek reboot. Columbus Short and Idris Elba are also fine but the film belongs to Chris Evans as the team’s tech expert Jensen.   Evans is a wonderful comic actor who delivers his lines with great wit and panache and he manages to steal every scene he is in. In fact the best scene of the movie is when Jensen attempts to infiltrate a building disguised as a delivery boy. Now on to one of the worst performances I’ve ever had the privilege of watching…

The honor belongs to Jason Patric as malevolent, evil mastermind Max. Patric gives such an odd, off-putting performance that his super-villain is far from menacing or scary and instead comes off as an eccentric weirdo. He’s like an inferior Bond villain on opium or a crazy mish-mash of Dr. Evil and Rain Man. He is seriously awful in this film and deserves to have his SAG card revoked. 

The direction by Sylviam White is serviceable at best and downright terrible at its worst. The action scenes are okay although they are a bit hyper and White relies on too many stylistic slow-mo shots and bizarre camera angles throughout the film. I’m all for style as long as it has substance and feels organic to the film like the flourishes in Kick-Ass or Watchmen but in The Losers it all comes off feeling very forced. In one scene the Losers outrace a giant fireball in the jungle in a yellow school bus and instead of it feeling different and cool it comes across as slightly desperate. 

All in all, The Losers is a run of the mill action movie with no real originality or spark. It’s not terrible and quite enjoyable in parts but none of it adds up to a cohesive, exciting film going experience. The film is worth watching on the strength of Evan’s performance but can certainly wait to be viewed in the comfort of your own home. Hell it’s even worth watching for the abysmal performance of Jason Patric. It’s almost a shame the film wasn’t released closer to awards season because Patric would be a lock in securing worst supporting actor at the next Razzies ceremony.